1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to plate holders and more particularly pertains to such a holder device which may be secured to a decorative plate or the like in a positive fashion precluding accidental separation of the plate from the holder and which permits hanging the plate vertically on a wall or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of plate holders is known in the prior art. More specifically, holders heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of holding plates are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. Much of the art is devoted to holding plates at an angle from a flat surface on which the holder is positioned, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,450. Other devices for hanging plates on wall surfaces are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,473,207; 4,364,537; 4,687,169; and 5,152,493. In some of these devices, the hooks engaging with the plate are easily dislodgeable and/or the plate may roll out of engagement with the open type hook supports shown in the event of accidental vibration or disturbance of the plate holder. In others, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,364,537 and 4,473,207, the holders are complex and expensive to produce.
In this respect, the plate holder according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides a device primarily developed for the purpose of securely holding the plate to the supporting holder.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved plate holders which can be inexpensively produced and which will securely hold a plate against separation from the holder. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.